Gladys Aylward: Missionary to China (Heroes of the Faith (Barbour Paperback)) [Paperback]

Sam Wellman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1998 | Series: Heroes of the Faith (Barbour Paperback)

As a missionary in China, Gladys Aylward's life was characterized by a humble dependence upon God in a steady stream of extreme circumstances.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Amidst the millions of committed Christians in each generation, a handful rise to special prominence. Learn more about their exciting and inspiring lives in Barbour's "Heroes of the Faith" series.

As a missionary in China, Gladys Aylward's life was characterized by a humble dependence upon God in a steady stream of extreme circumstances.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577482220
• ISBN-13: 978-1577482222
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #560,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sam Wellman, PhD, is a writer of numerous biographies. His latest book is 'Frederick the Wise: Seen and Unseen Lives of Martin Luther's Protector', published by Wild Centuries Press. He has traveled to Germany many times and twice stayed for several months (Berlin and Wittenberg). He blogs and tweets on Martin Luther and Frederick the Wise. He lives near Wichita, Kansas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Biography of China Missionary, December 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Gladys Aylward: Missionary to China (Heroes of the Faith (Barbour Paperback)) (Paperback)

This book is a great read. It is a great encouragement to any one of any faith. Gladys' story is pure inspiration to the way we live. She faced many harsh circumstances, and through relying on her Lord and simply pushing on, she made it through some of, probably, China's hardest years.
The way in which this book was written seemed to be so that any one would be able to read it easily. It would be great for any child from grade 4 and up. It is easy to understand, and it is truly and adventure story.
Although there are some typos, it doesn't affect the overall story. It is most definitely a great find for any one, and I challenge you to pick this one up some time. It will be a challenge to put it down.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sam Wellman, Gladys Aylward: Missionary to China (1998), April 24, 2005

By 

Samuel P. Menefee "Samuel Pyeatt Menefee" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gladys Aylward: Missionary to China (Heroes of the Faith (Barbour Paperback)) (Paperback)

This is one of several volumes in Barbour Publishing's Heroes of the Faith series. It contains a bibliography citing Alan Burgess' The Small Woman (1957) and Phyllis Thompson's A Transparent Woman (1972), but does not mention Gladys Aylward's Gladys Aylward: The Story of Gladys Aylward (1952), Cyril James Davey's Never Say Die: The Story of Gladys Aylward (1974), Mildred T. Howard's These Are My People: A Biography of Gladys Aylward (1984), Catherine Swift's Gladys Aylward (1989), and Janet & Geoff Benge's Gladys Aylward: The Adventure of a Lifetime (1998), to list only those books published prior to Wellman's work. Several works on other missionaries to China are also referred to (at pp. 203-04. See also p. 23).

Despite the drawbacks of his bibliography, Wellman has done an excellent job of covering Aylward's life. Far from being a standard "cut-and-paste", this biographical account shows an impressive grasp of the ins and outs of British domestic service, life in China at the time, and Far Eastern politics, all of which are imparted without stemming the flow of this book. While the biography appears to be intended for juveniles, adults can equally benefit from its account of Aylward's missionary endeavors.

The account of the movie made of Aylward's life is particularly interesting. "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" was based on the actual Inn of Eight Happinesses, which Aylward helped run at Yangcheng (see p. 197). Similar economics resulted in her adopted child Ninepence being rechristened Sixpence in the movie (at id.). While one can understand why this and other names might have been changed for privacy's sake, it is less clear what the love scenes and tampering with history accomplished (see pp. 197-98). Wellman presents a cautionary tale in miniature of what contact with the film industry can produce.

Despite concerns about the bibliography, this is an excellent account of Aylward's life and should serve as a benchmark for other books in the series.

Samuel Pyeatt Menefee

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great read, January 19, 2007

By 

Christie A. Pavlishin "Christie" (NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gladys Aylward: Missionary to China (Heroes of the Faith (Barbour Paperback)) (Paperback)

This is a great non-fiction story. It got me an A on my college paper on Missionaries in China. Thanks.